I got a tip this morning that the Goodwill on Highland near the University of Memphis will become a "half-off" store - they'll be marking everything down by 50% storewide.
A February blessing.
Tonight, critically-acclaimed documentary Race to Nowhere will screen at the Elder Performing Arts Center of Lausanne Collegiate School.
The showing is part of a host of community events in a campaign to screen the film nationwide. Born from the concern of one student's mother, the film highlights the extreme measures required by today's students to get good grades, get ahead, and get into college.
Admission is free, but you must visit their website to reserve tickets beforehand.
Several opportunities to see a great artist's work for free coming up:
"Ben Butler: On Growth" will occupy Rhodes College's Clough-Hansen Gallery from tomorrow, January 21, through February 18 (admission is free!). The artist, a professor at Rhodes, is a sculptor who works almost entirely with wood, and the exhibit is composed of large and small wood sculptures and a collection of drawings.
Butler says when he began work on the show, he took pieces from large, malleable sculptures and brought them into the gallery space to see how they responded to one another. This process is indicative of his larger body of work: choosing a process and repeating it, often altering it along the way, to form an organic shape composed of smaller pieces. His work is intensely labored, but often springs from a straightforward, uncomplicated concept.
Butler will give a free lecture tonight at 7 p.m. on his body of work, and the gallery will host an opening reception tomorrow, January 21, from 6-8 p.m., giving you plenty of chances to check out Butler's work. I'll bet there are refreshments involved in at least one of these events, if you're not already convinced.
I ordered in some Wang's for lunch today with a few other CMI staffers, and we were delighted at the number of choices the lunch specials menu offered us. Each comes with white or fried rice and an egg roll - you just choose the entree. There are twenty options for $5.25 each and another 10 for $5.75. And as you can see here, there's easily enough food for two meals.
Our own Amy LaVere is back in town and giving you a chance to see her acclaimed act for cheap: For the next three Wednesdays, LaVere will be gracing the Buccaneer with her musical stylings for just $5. Catch her while you can!
Today only, The Gunslingers' self-titled album is available for a free download in its entirety. Trust me on this one - you won't want to miss out.
Our own Bianca Phillips has been searching all week for stuffed cats to pin all over her body. (She says it's for Halloween, but...) Today, she finally had some luck with Summer Avenue's Thrift Citi.
So if you're looking for cheap teddy bears, now you know where to go.
I found myself at City Hall yesterday with no ride in pretty relentless rain, so I decided to find somewhere close to eat and wait both out. I'm not one to splurge on impromptu lunches, so I was happy to run across Joey's New York Deli, whose menu boasted lunch specials under $5.
Indie Memphis will take over most of Midtown for the weekend, with plenty of quality work to peruse. But I wanted to let you guys in on the free stuff the festival has to offer - with everything from films to discussions to video installations, here's how to do Indie Memphis on the cheap.
You all know Molly's La Casita is delicious, I presume. But I've always categorized it in the higher end of low-price restaurants, especially relative to most Mexican restaurants.
But yesterday, my powers of a-la-carte meal-meaking prevailed! I enjoyed a well-rounded, filling meal at Molly's for just under $5, and discovered a great new dish in the process.
That dish was the black bean soup, which I ordered in the "cup" for $2.50 (the "bowl," which I was told is only slightly larger, was $3.50). It came with a dollop of sour cream on top and pico de gallo and a flour tortilla on the side, and was - let me say it again - just excellent.
I personally believe Mexican food is best when it's all mixed up, so I ordered a side of rice ($1.75) and stirred it in with the soup. It added a nice texture, and when I'd eaten most of it, I shoveled the rest into the tortilla for a little taco of sorts.
That's $4.25 total, for those of you keeping count at home.
Delicious and cheap - and honestly, I had trouble finishing it. Success!
Bad news - my beloved MIFA store is closing at the end of the month. But why wallow in our sadness when we can procure some last-minute finds from their leftover inventory?
This week, MIFA's having one of several great sales you'll see before they close their doors - all women's dresses are buy one, get one free for the rest of the week.
For an example of the excellent dresses to be found there, check out these matching beauties Hannah Sayle and I found last month:
Check their Facebook page for the rest of the deals they'll offer this month. And check back here soon to find out what thrift maven (and soon-to-be former MIFA store director) Amy Hoyt will be getting herself into. It's exciting, I promise.
Besides Theatre Memphis' wardrobe sale, tomorrow's cheap events include the 23rd annual Cooper-Young Festival.
Do I even have to tell you to go?
Memphians are lucky to have two opportunities to shop excellent vintage clothing in the next few days. The best part? Someone else has done the pile-sifting for you.
Crew of the movie Losers Take All spent weeks looking for the best '80s clothing in Memphis thrift stores, and this afternoon they're selling everything they found. The sale starts at 2 PM at 515 S. Main. Cash only.
For more info check out the event's Facebook page.
UPDATE: The sale will run until 10 PM, and I can personally verify that they have some great pieces. Click after the jump to see my finds!
And Saturday, Theatre Memphis is unloading a ton of old costumes and props they've collected over the years to clean out their closets and raise some money for improvements. At their Overstock Yard Sale, you'll be able to find great pieces (many from the '50s, '60s, and '70s) for sale prices.
Be sure to arrive at 630 Perkins Extended early: the sale runs from 8 AM - 1 PM, and for the last hour they'll have "grab bags" available - all you can fit inside for $5.
I've been tipped off a few times about historian Jimmy Ogle's beloved walking tours, and this month provides the perfect opportunity for me (and you!) to give them a try. The Memphis chapter of the American Institute of Architects has declared September their seventh annual Architecture Month, and in addition to showing films and hosting lectures and events, they've partnered with Ogle to offer a weekly tour of different areas of downtown.
They kicked off last Tuesday with a walk around Court Square, and today's will take you through the historic South Main district. The tours continue each Tuesday this month, assembling at 11:45 at the designated meeting place.
As with Ogle's usual tours, these Tuesday walks are free as well as educational. So put your lunch break to good use - get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather we're having.
The rest of the schedule:
September 14
Historic South Main (meet at corner of Linden & South Main)
September 21
Union Avenue Manhole Cover & History Tour (meet at corner of Front & Union)
September 28
Front Street - Cotton Row (meet at corner of Front & Union)
The menu at Cafe Eclectic isn't always the most affordable, but there are some secret - and surprising - deals to be found.
Take their grilled cheese, for example. For a mere $3.95, you get an exceptional sandwich (truly one of my favorites) and a side item. The Eclectic hot dog offers the same, also for $3.95.
For a few extra bucks, the grilled cheese also complements their wide range of soups very well - my favorite, the Greek lemon soup, is always spot-on.
Not a bad four-dollar meal, if you ask me.